By Any Other Name
by The Curse of Forever
Summary: So this was the new state alchemist everyone was so impressed with? This little kid?


**AN: **HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Okay, so it's my birthday, but I decided to give all my readers (yes, all four of you xD) a present for putting up with me ^-^ This time of year is really stressful for me so enjoy it. My least favorite question right now is "What do you want?" I DUNNO! Don't make me think of something!

Has anyone else not been getting their messages on here? I get replies to reviews that never show up in my inbox, and I only know I have them when I check my email. Then I can't reply to the messages sent to me, so my friends (Pff, I have no friends, but still) think I don't like 'em anymore. T~T

I started playing around with the idea that the only people who really ever call Ed 'Fullmetal' are Mustang, random bad guys he meets, and sometimes Envy, when it's part of a insult. Other military persons tend to refer to him as Major, and the rest of the people on Mustang's team are rather informal with him. And thus, this one-shot was born! Enjoy, if I haven't butchered the idea too much.

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><p>It was a relatively peaceful day at Eastern Headquarters. The air held the sweet smell of spring on it as another warm breeze floated in the open windows of the office. Everyone seemed to be loafing around and avoiding work.<p>

Havoc stepped into the office carrying a tray of coffees. Normally he wouldn't volunteer to be the office's little errand boy, but to get out of the office on a day like this, and to be able to smoke a cigarette or two without a sherry-eyed blonde with a pistol breathing down his neck was a rather nice treat.

He distributed the coffee about the room, barely disrupting the lazy haze that had settled over his friends. He turned to the end of the table, surprised to actually see someone doing work, other than Hawkeye. He was even more surprised when he realized the diligent worker was so young. He looked tiny, sitting at the desk where they all worked, slightly separated from the rest of them, writing a report with painfully slow movements of his left hand. It took him a second to remember this short boy was a new state alchemist that had been put under Mustang's command with the rest of them. The little runt, who was technically his superior.

Havoc settled himself across from the blond and set his own coffee down. He chewed on the unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth, still looking at the boy. He seemed to be absorbed in his writing, paying no mind to the lieutenant.

"So Fullmetal is it?" The kid made a face and Havoc found himself the subject of a rather unsettling gold-eyed stare.

"Lieutenant, isn't it?" Havoc raised an eyebrow. He really couldn't think of any think to say to him, and he had no particular reason for getting his attention. He pulled a lighter out of his pocket and lit the stick of nicotine between his lips, very aware of the blond's eyes on his every move.

"Want one?" He shouldn't be offering someone this young a cigarette, but damn how are you supposed to talk to kids this age again? The boy shook his head violently and made a disgusted face, wrinkling up his nose.

"Hell no. I know way to much about lungs to do that to mine." And then he shuddered. Havoc laughed and patted his head, the younger blond emitting a growl.

"Ah, youth. You'll learn someday, pipsqueak." The boy stiffened gave him a stare so cold it was a wonder there wasn't ice falling to the floor. _If looks could kill_.

"Are you somehow insinuating that I am of _less _than average height?" He hissed. Havoc opened his mouth to reply, but didn't get a chance to speak before a large, leather glove wrapped it's fingers over the seething blond's shoulder. And, _damn _how had he missed the enormous suit of armor.

"Calm down Brother, he didn't mean it like that." The voice was surprisingly high pitched and gentle. The blond huffed then turned back to his paper and began writing again, this time with more vigor.

That was the first time he'd met Edward Elric.

Havoc wasn't even sure the young major had known he was there.

He was only sparring with his brother, but the speed with which he moved and the resounding clang when he made a hit made Havoc wonder what he'd be like when he was actually in a real fight. He _had _un-hijacked that train full of terrorists with only the help of Hughes and his younger brother.

It was a rather hard concept for the lieutenant to grasp, thinking that this small, twelve year old boy was supposed to be weapon of war. He held himself like an adult, and he could certainly seem dangerous when he wanted to, but that didn't prove much.

But the kid just seemed to break all Havoc's preconceptive ideas about children. The child, because as much as he vehemently denied it, he was one, truly was a dangerous and frightening opponent when he wanted to be. He was fast and fierce with a mind like a steel trap and a nose for trouble.

Havoc kept a close eye on him, observing him whenever the opportunity presented itself. The small blond fascinated him, he was an enigma in himself.

There were the obvious things he saw, such as his temper, height complex, his fierce loyalty to his brother.

But there were other things too, less noticeable things you wouldn't notice if you weren't looking. There was one foible in particular that dug at the back of his mind. He knew it would be best to forget about it, but every time he saw the kid he couldn't help but think of it.

"Hey Fullmetal," it was another lazy day in the office, the nice weather seeming to promote their procrastination. The kid wrinkled his nose then looked up from his book.

"Yeah?" He stretched his arms above his head and yawned.

"Why do you always make a weird face when someone calls you Fullmetal?" Edward blinked his arms still raised above his head. He slowly lowered them and looked down into his lap.

"Oh, _that_. It's kinda stupid actually," he still wasn't making any eye contact. "It's not that I _mind _exactly, it's just," he looked up and Havoc was once again assaulted with his piercing yellow gaze. "I'd like to be addressed as a person, not a weapon." Havoc was stunned for a moment, he hadn't expected such a deep response from the twelve year old. Then he cracked a smile.

"Okay then, Chief." Ed gave a rare smile back to him and then turned back to his book.

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>Yay! Nice weather! Now if Ohio would just _NOT _snow in April again.

Okay, Ed really doesn't seem to mind being called Fullmetal, but we can all pretend for the sake of this fic, right? And I'm not really sure what it is Havoc calls Ed, is it Boss or Chief? And which does he call Mustang? These are the questions... I've always loved imagining the awkward transitioning phases when Mustang and company are adjusting to Ed.

Anyway,

Love you for reading this! So send me your love back by reviewing please? I know it's kinda pathetic to ask, but it kinda hurts my feelings when I get 87 hits, 11 favorites, and only 4 reviews T~T

-Erin


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